The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Only 11 structures have to be demolished to turn Hatir Zeel nearing the Sonargoan Hotel into a crystal lake, not 400 structures as was reported earlier.

This was confirmed in a survey report jointly conducted by the experts of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and Army Engineering Core.

Disclosing this in an inaugural ceremony of Online Billing System of Dhaka WASA yesterday, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Adviser Anwarul Iqbal said only five private structures fall in the demolishing plan to free 295 acre of Hatir Zeel land. Adviser Anwarul Iqbal as chief guest inaugurated the online billing system at it office, while Secretary of the Local Government Department Sheikh Khursheed Alam and Chairman of Dhaka WASA Board Abdullah Harun Pasha present at the function.

Dhaka WASA has introduced online billing system to reduce harassment of the consumers and make its activities more transparent.

Adviser said the consumers could see their bill on the Internet and complain against any irrelevant and contradictory activities of Dhaka WASA using its Website that would make its activities more transparent and credible and reduce harassment of the clients.

Terming present 34 per cent system lose of Dhaka WASA as large, Anwarul Iqbal said if the system lose of Dhaka WASA could be decreased, its profit largely increased.

Some Tk 350 crore revenue collection of Dhaka WASA was targeted for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, while that was Tk 271 crore for previous fiscal year, he added.

Anwarul Iqbal said online bill payment yet could not be introduced completely as many banks did not adopt online system. Whenever all banks would be under online system then the online bill payment system can be launched totally.

Adviser also said the government has initiated to make multi-level toilets for the pilgrims of Biswa Ijtema on Turag river in Tongi, like Toilets of Makka Sharif.

Now there are about 2.5 lakh clients of the organisation. The clients can know billing information and complain using its website www.dwasa.org.bd.

Now Dhaka WASA supply 170 crore litre water against the demand of about 200 crore litre. The rest of demand is being fulfilled through private owned deep tube-wells.

Dhaka WASA has adopted a "Citizen Charter" to ensure the proper service for its consumers. The Citizen Charter would be disclosed so that the consumers can get information about its services, system of the services and bill payment system.